Helmet-mounted display systems typically include an image generating source and a display assembly, aligned and oriented within a housing secured to the helmet. There are a variety of helmet-mounted display systems currently in use. A proximity display system is a helmet-mounted display system in which the helmet is not secured to the head in a way that enables the associated display device to maintain a fixed location with respect to the user's eye as the user's head moves around.
Proximity display systems are typically used on protective suits in which the helmets provide a protective structure (referred to as a helmet bubble) around the head and neck of the user; the helmet bubble may maintain a pressurized atmosphere within the helmet. Examples of protective suits include space suits, deep sea diving suits, and protective gear used in environmental disposal situations. A proximity display system is generally affixed to the helmet bubble, and is typically responsible for producing a virtual image, referred to herein as the “display” or “image,” that provides information and/or enables the user with a variety of applications.
Because protective suits are typically used in situations requiring acute awareness and rapid responses, a helmet-mounted display on a protective suit should not unduly interfere with visibility of the outside world, or distract the user from activities occurring in the outside viewing area. Therefore, minimizing the intrusion of a helmet-mounted display system into the user's viewing area may improve safety and situational awareness.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a compact proximity display system and method that employs an image transfer feature, such as a fiber optic device, which enables remotely locating an image generating source from a display assembly that is mounted on, or proximate to, the helmet bubble, thereby reducing the amount of components located proximate to the helmet bubble. The desired system and method minimize the intrusion of the entire display system into user's viewing area, and increase safety.